"Hayfever Wristband"

FatCat

Artists:

On Mazes’ excellent second LP, Ores and Minerals, the group cranked out tight, precise grooves that felt like they could go on forever. On the forthcoming follow-up EP Better Ghosts, they get a little more exploratory, sticking a few lo-fi ditties and sound experiments in between tunes. But the record’s standout, “Hayfever Wristband”, is even tighter than anything on the previous LP. The song’s nervous guitar loop is so wound-up, you might wonder if singer/guitarist Jack Cooper had a few too many Red Bulls before he recorded it. But one of the great things about Cooper’s grooves is that no matter how coiled and jittery they sound, he makes them feel calm too-- more like mantras to relax the mind than jolts to defibrillate the nervous system. Put “Hayfever Wristband” on repeat and you might be surprised by how hypnotic its sharp, chopping chords eventually become.